ACHING Adie Arnold admitted he was in no hurry for a repeat performance after he and his backroom staff had been forced to make shock playing comebacks.

Verwood Town boss Arnold, assistant Andy Darnton and coach Danny Saxby dusted off their boots to make up the numbers for the depleted Potters on Saturday.

While Darnton was an unused sub and Arnold, 50, made a brief cameo, the plaudits went to 51-year-old Saxby who turned on the style in a fine 90-minute display.

Speaking after the 1-1 Wessex Premier draw at Potterne Park, Arnold joked: “The chairman calls it old, I call it experience!”

Arnold, who plays veterans' football, as does Saxby, added: “We had nine players missing from the squad and we were down to the bare bones.

“Danny Saxby is 51 and he played the whole 90 minutes. He did really well and didn't look out of place. He looked after the ball and was one of our better players.

“I'm 50 and played for the last 20 minutes. Hopefully, it was a one-off!”

Despite his severe lack of options, Arnold was left disappointed at only claiming a point after Tom Plant had struck for 10-man Downton, cancelling out a Mike Haskell opener.

Potters: Lynch, Evans, Elysee, Oldring, Kelly, D Saxby, Gilham (Callaghan, 64), Webb, Haskell, Darren Munday, Kimber (Arnold, 80). Unused subs: Darnton.

  • In Wessex One, Tony Bellott netted a late consolation goal as Ringwood Town suffered a 7-1 home hammering at the hands of Andover Town.